Sleep-enabling headwear

Abstract

The sleep-enabling headwear may comprise a headband, a left insert, a right insert, a left acoustic device, and a right acoustic device. The sleep-enabling headwear may be adapted to attenuate and/or mask ambient acoustic noise so that a user may sleep undisturbed. The headband may be adapted to hold the left insert, the right insert, the left acoustic device, the right acoustic device, or combinations thereof in place covering a user's ears. The left insert and the right insert may attenuate the ambient acoustic noise before the ambient acoustic noise reaches the user's ears. The left acoustic device and the right acoustic device may mask the ambient acoustic noise by playing an audio program into the user's ears.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A sleep-enabling headwear comprising:
 a headband, a left insert, a right insert, a left acoustic device, and a right acoustic device; 
 wherein the sleep-enabling headwear is adapted to attenuate and/or mask ambient acoustic noise so that a user sleeps undisturbed; 
 wherein the headband is adapted to hold the left insert, the right insert, the left acoustic device, the right acoustic device, or combinations thereof in place over a user's ears; 
 wherein the left insert and the right insert are adapted to attenuate the ambient acoustic noise before the ambient acoustic noise reaches the user's ears; 
 wherein the left acoustic device and the right acoustic device are adapted to mask the ambient acoustic noise by playing an audio program adjacent the user's ears; 
 wherein the headband is a loop of elastic material; 
 wherein the headband is adapted to wrap around a user's head to hold the left insert, the right insert, the left acoustic device, the right acoustic device, or combinations thereof in place; 
 wherein a top of the headband is horizontally level around the entire headband; 
 wherein a bottom of the headband varies in height with the portion covering a forehead narrower than the portion adapted to cover a back of the head; 
 wherein the vertical height of the headband changes in transition regions adapted to cover a user's temples; 
 wherein the headband is adapted to cover the user's ears; 
 wherein the headband comprises a left inner pocket and a right inner pocket; 
 wherein the left inner pocket is adapted to be positioned on the left side of the headband over a user's left ear; 
 wherein the right inner pocket is adapted to be positioned on the right side of the headband over the user's right ear; 
 wherein the individual insert absorbs the ambient acoustic noise using a sound absorbing foam. 
 
     
     
       2. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 1 
 wherein the left insert fits into the left inner pocket; 
 wherein the right insert fits into the right inner pocket. 
 
     
     
       3. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 2 
 wherein an individual inner pocket selected from the left inner pocket and the right inner pocket is accessed via an access aperture located on the inside of the headband. 
 
     
     
       4. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 3 
 wherein the left insert is an acoustic attenuator adapted to be placed over the user's left ear; 
 wherein the left insert matches the shape of the left inner pocket such that the left insert fits into the left inner pocket. 
 
     
     
       5. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 4 
 wherein the right insert is an acoustic attenuator adapted to be placed over a user's right ear; 
 wherein the right insert matches the shape of the right inner pocket such that the right insert fits into the right inner pocket. 
 
     
     
       6. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 5 
 wherein an individual insert selected from the left insert and the right insert attenuates the ambient acoustic noise by absorbing the ambient acoustic noise, by decoupling the ambient acoustic noise, by diffusing the ambient acoustic noise, by reflecting the ambient acoustic noise, or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       7. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 6 
 wherein the sound absorbing foam is a an open cell rubber foam or melamine sponge. 
 
     
     
       8. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 6 
 wherein the left acoustic device is adapted to be positioned over the user's left ear; 
 wherein the right acoustic device is adapted to be positioned over the user's right ear; 
 wherein the left acoustic device, the right acoustic device, or both are held in place by the headband. 
 
     
     
       9. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 8 
 wherein the left acoustic device and the right acoustic device are electronic devices that are adapted to play the audio program adjacent to the user's ears to mask the ambient acoustic noise; 
 wherein an individual acoustic device selected from the left acoustic device and the right acoustic device plays the audio program via a sound transducer. 
 
     
     
       10. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 9 
 wherein the source of the audio program is within the individual acoustic device. 
 
     
     
       11. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 10 
 wherein the individual acoustic device comprises a noise generator circuit; 
 wherein the noise generator circuit produces an audio signal that is played via the sound transducer. 
 
     
     
       12. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 11 
 wherein the audio signal encodes white noise or pink noise. 
 
     
     
       13. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 10 
 wherein the individual acoustic device comprises an active noise cancellation circuit; 
 wherein the active noise cancellation circuit converts the ambient acoustic noise into an electrical signal using a microphone, inverts the phase of the electrical signal to produce an inverted electrical signal, and plays the inverted electrical signal through the sound transducer; 
 wherein the audio program is a reproduction of the ambient acoustic noise that is 180 degrees out of phase with the ambient acoustic noise such that the audio program destructively interferes with the ambient acoustic noise and thereby reduces the amplitude of the ambient acoustic noise. 
 
     
     
       14. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 9 
 wherein the source of the audio program is external to the individual acoustic device. 
 
     
     
       15. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 14 
 wherein the individual acoustic device comprises a receiver operable to receive a wireless signal from an external smart device. 
 
     
     
       16. The sleep-enabling headwear according to  claim 9 
 wherein the individual acoustic devices are coupled to the individual inserts such that the individual inserts are operable to play the audio program from the individual inserts.